Colin McLaren: Screenwriter

I began writing short films for a flatmate, Morag McKinnon who was at the Edinburgh College Of Art. I was soon writing shorts for other students at the college and students at Napier University. The last short film HOME, directed by Morag for Film Four, won the best British Short BAFTA and twenty other awards world wide in 1999 (including Best Christian Film in Switzerland). This secured me an agent and led to earning a living developing feature films.

It took ages to get a film fully financed – DONKEYS was made in 2008, again directed by Morag McKinnon, winning Best Actor for James Cosmo and Best Film at The Scottish BAFTAS.

I am currently writing a musical road movie version of the nativity, DISCOTIVITY for Sigma and Bankside films; a black comedy set in a barbers, THE LONG MIDNIGHT OF BARNEY THOMSON for Trinity Films (Canada) for Robert Carlisle to direct; a comedy road movie, SAM AND THE ANGEL for Cuba Pictures, starring Alfred Molina and to be directed by Michael Baeg-Clifford; a dark comedy about a boy and his crocodile, BEAST for Iris Films to be directed by Jonathan Van Tulleken; a romantic comedy set in Fife, I’M JUST SWELL JACQUES BREL for Singer Films.

I’m also writing a sitcom VINTAGE for Retort (formerly Talkback Thames), set in an indoor market selling faintly rightwing Keep Calm And Carry On tat and DAN FIVE O, about a bloke hitting the singles scene for the first time in thirty years, for BBC Scotland.

Just wondered if this is the same Colin I met about ten years ago on the New Directions scheme run by the Film Council. (I was the guy who had the script set in Africa). If it is you, drop me a line if you get a chance. If it isn’t, apologies.